Teddy Bear Kisses
by MyFallenAngel
Summary: [ SasuSaku ] There is one thing Sakura really wants for Christmas Day, but Sasuke just can't give it to her. Yet. 'Sakura, I can't kiss you.'


**Disclaimer: I want Naruto for my Christmas present.**

**A/N: **I know it's a little too early, and that I still have my other fics to concentrate on, but this idea of a one-shot pops up in my head when I was just typing the fourth chapter of my other fic. So here it is. Please enjoy!

--

**.teddy bear kisses. **

--

They were just having somewhat a chat between girl friends over a cup of drink in Sakura's apartment flat that time, when suddenly somebody asked a question.

"So, did you kiss?" Twenty years old Yamanaka Ino blatantly asked as she stirred her hot chocolate carefully, though her pretty blue eyes were looking straight into Sakura's emerald ones.

Hyuuga Hinata, also twenty years old, glanced at her friend and smiled shyly, but still encouragingly. "T-tell us, Sakura-chan." She said softly.

Sakura shook her head, both saying 'no' and pitying herself that Tenten wasn't there to help her get out of this one specific question. Having to date the same kind of guys - almost heartless, cool, I'm-so-better-than-you-so-shut-up top rookies of their respective years -, both Tenten and Sakura share this kind of bond or connection, having compassion for each other like that. The bond developed (and is still developing) as they both were 'tortured' endlessly by Ino and _-gasp!-_ Hinata.

Yes, Hinata. She changed (and is still changing) through the years, admirably became beautiful and cuter than who she was before, and still the same old, shy (though much more easy-going than before) Hyuuga heiress.

"Don't tell me that he hasn't kissed you until now." Ino warned before sipping her chocolate, then carelessly tucking a stray of her blond hair behind her ear. She gaped for a while as Sakura shook her head no again. "You've been like, going out for six months and he hasn't kissed you _YET_? Gee, I've always thought that he was the kind that takes things fast."

"He isn't." The pink-haired kunoichi said flatly, defending her dear boyfriend, though she couldn't hide the fact that she was disappointed, too.

_Is Sasuke-kun really that slow_? They hadn't been going out for only six months as Ino said, but almost a year. Six months was the time they finally opened it up in public. Five months before it, they hid their relationship - without reasons.

Sasuke-kun is always unbelievably unexplainable.

"And you didn't kiss?" Ino asked, still blatantly.

Sighing, Sakura shook her head. "No, we didn't." She said smoothly, "Sasuke-kun didn't kiss me or touch my hand or even walk me home."

At the sentence, both of her friends' eyes widened for a little.

"H-he didn't walk you home, Sakura-chan?" Hinata asked shyly, nervously stirring her steamy tea. She sipped it and glanced at Sakura carefully for a while, waiting for the pink-haired kunoichi's reaction. However, the medic nin didn't react at all - Before she even opened her mouth, their blonde friend has already commented bluntly, "My, that's really not romantic for a Sasuke-kun like this." She said, shaking her head in distaste.

Sakura, much to her pride, could only smile half-heartedly.

Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura had been going out for almost eleven months, but none of them have ever displayed any PDA (Public Display Affection) before. Sakura thought that it was either because her handsome boyfriend is too shy, that he doesn't like her like that or because he remembers their agreement. After all, she was the one who confessed to him, and the only thing he did was saying yes and applied **THE** agreement between them both. It was the agreement on NOT to act like they were having a romantic relationship in front of public - meaning that there really won't be any PDAs, and Sakura could only wish for affection in private.

However, even in private, she could only wish for it. Sasuke never touches her hand the way Naruto touches Hinata's hand softly, smoothly, squeezing protectively over the fingers. He never kisses her (wide) forehead when he (sometimes) drops her home after their little, private 'meetings' in Team Seven's training grounds the way Neji kissed Tenten when he walks her home every night after they trained. The Uchiha also never glances at her the way Shikamaru would glance at Ino, half-swooning over her pretty blue eyes, half-dreamily.

Sasuke and Sakura were a couple, but they don't look or act like a couple.

She never told her friends about this agreement - nobody knows. Not even Tenten - Neji is one of the sweetest guys Sakura has ever known, so there is no way she is telling Tenten that. It was way too embarrassing, and she didn't dare to embarrass herself any further.

"Christmas is like, coming soon." Ino said again, bringing up new topics each time she spoke. She batted her eyelashes at Sakura and smiled meaningfully, "He'll give you a present, won't he? Sasuke-kun is not that unromantic, for heaven's sake."

"Oh, I don't know." The pink-haired kunoichi said ruefully, "For all that I know, he never really has shown any kind of affection to me."

Hinata gave a mere little encouraging smile, "Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan." She said thoughtfully, "Maybe he's just shy..."

"Yep." Sakura nodded sarcastically. "Of course." Heh. "Shy."

In fact, she doubted it. If Sasuke was brave enough to say yes to her confession, why should he be shy like, now? It doesn't make any sense - but then again, Sasuke accepting her also doesn't make any sense. Not much, anyway.

For all the years before, he rejected her, made her cry, and dumped her like trash. Now, when she confessed for the nth time in her life, all of a sudden he accepted her. Maybe it was just that he was bored of her confessing too much that he chose to accept her instead? The thought was nerve-cracking yet pathetically saddening her. Pondering on this, Sakura couldn't stop herself from feeling a little helpless. She had absolutely no control over him - when just one smirk from him made her swoon. _How helpless she really is?_

"Well." Ino interjected, noticing the full sarcasm in her friend-yet-rival's voice, "He might be shy." She said, though somewhat dubiously too, "But anyway, that's all not important. Maybe he's just not ready for it. You can wait, Sakura - he's yours anyway."

Sakura smiled at this.

If only she could believe that.

--

Team Seven's training grounds are always peaceful without Naruto, Sakura reflected as she dashed through the snow, preparing her kunais as she got closer to her target: the one and only Uchiha Sasuke.

As expected, he activated his Sharingan and quietly did a set of hand seals. He cart-wheeled backwards and blew a huge fireball at her. In reflex, the pink-haired kunoichi threw all of her kunais at him and dropped herself down, to the fluffy, soft snow on her feet. Sasuke glanced over at his girlfriend and sighed, seeing as she didn't get up immediately but stayed as if the cold, damp snow is the most comfortable thing in this whole wide world.

"Get up." He said, more of an order than of a request.

**This is not what we are supposed to be doing!** Inner Sakura whined, but Sakura just pulled herself together and quietly stood up, just complying with what her boyfriend asked - no, ordered.

_I know_, she said back to her inner self, _but who are we to object?_

She put on her gloves, concentrating. Sasuke took a deep breath as he watched his so-called girlfriend bent down and punched the layer of icy snow and to the core of the ground. Wow. She had such great power. The ground shook a bit and some trees cracked.

Seeing as the Uchiha didn't give any response but just jumped three steps backwards to avoid the effects of her punch, she smirked nastily and punched the ground again, this time, to satisfy her own hunger. Again, he didn't respond, so she simply looked at him darkly.

"You've call me to training." She said, a little anger hinted in her usually sweet voice, "Now fight me."

"You're upset." Instead of fighting her like what she wanted him to do, Sasuke responded by crossing his arms over his chest arrogantly. "Why?"

"Oh, right." Sakura rolled her eyes, "So _finally_ you try to pay some attention to me."

He frowned. One minute she was all okay with the 'let's-spar-on-Christmas-Eve' thing, the next she was really, really furious. It had always amused him how girls can be so temperamental, and how they can really get everyone (except him. Note that!) under their control when they are angry.

"Now, what is it?" He asked, slightly amazed by the gentle tone of his voice. He never knew that he could speak this soft.

"Nothing." The pink-haired kunoichi replied dryly, faulting herself inside. Why should she be angry anyway?

It's only Christmas Eve. It's nothing special. It's just the day where normal couples (of where the guy loves the girl and the girl loves the guy as well) spend their night, together as one. It's only a day where no one should be inside the training grounds and train all night long and just forget what Christmas eve is all about. It's only a day where people exchange gifts. _It's only a normal day!!_

But it isn't only a normal day…

But here she was, spending her night with a power-thirsty maniac so-called boyfriend of her. So they were together, but not as one. As two completely different polar, in a middle of a supposedly harsh spar match - where they actually could be doing something fun. Like a candlelight dinner, maybe?

"Really?" Sasuke asked, not losing his cool. His onyx orbs stared into her emerald ones, a little demanding, but still as soft as they can ever be.

"... Mm-hmm." She replied, hoping that she sounded reluctant.

Hell, a part of her just wanted him to get out with this question and just get out of the topic, but the other part of her wanted him to notice the reluctance of her voice and ask her, demand that he should know what's with her, but...

She looked at him hesitantly. He didn't care for her as much as she did for him - go figures. "So... Let's start again?"

"Okay." The Uchiha replied, getting back into his stance. _Che_. Again, it always amused him how girls would hide their feelings and hope that guys will ask them again. If it was him, he wouldn't have bothered.

Sakura was struck dumb. She shook her pretty pink head sadly and gave a heavy sigh. She didn't really understand why; she simply wasn't in the mood for a spar match, but here she was. 'Playing' a role as a training tool for her so-called beloved 'boyfriend'.

She just could tell - her Christmas Eve would be the best Christmas eve ever. Did anyone sense full sarcasm here? D

Sighing, the pink-haired kunoichi did a few hand seals.

--

It was then about 11 PM around midnight that they finally finished their sparring match_es_.

"I'll walk you home."

Miraculously, Sakura didn't squeal delightfully or suddenly envelope him in a tight, sweet hug or whatever when Sasuke said that. He was getting sweet, but anyway, this was Christmas eve. He should be sweeter - it was like, _oh_, she didn't know, like how Rock Lee will be, maybe?

But then again, remembering the time in the Chuunin exam where Lee had sent her a 'heart', Sasuke was much, much better than that bushy-eyebrows 'unique' guy.

"Okay." She said, and he extended his arm (just like a normal boyfriend would do) and she wrapped her own arms around his. Smiling at their closeness, she snuggled closer to him as he froze at the sudden contact. Sakura, noticing the stony expression of his face, looked at him then gazed down at the snow before her cheeks heated up. She released his arm carefully, awkward at the sudden change of mood.

This was the first time he ever really touched her deliberately, in a romantic way. And boy of boy, she just blew it up.

"I'm... I'm sorry!" Sakura wailed, looking at the snow covering the ground. She didn't know what to do or what to say anymore. Even her head couldn't perfectly process what had just happened. However, if she was right, then:

1.) Sasuke extended his arm for her. To her. Whatever.

2.) She accepted his arm.

3.) She took it a little too far and snuggled him of that.

4.) And there he went freezing.

This is certainly not a good sign, Sakura realized as Sasuke rubbed the back of his chicken hair awkwardly and extended his arm towards her again. However, unlike before, she didn't immediately receive it. Instead, she stared at his arm as if it was the first time she saw an arm. _The_ Arm.

"Sakura." He said her name with a growl, with a low grumble, and then pulled her arms and circled them around his own softly, "Let's go."

The pink-haired medic, surprised yet touched as he practically dragged her out of their training grounds; felt a small smile slipped on her lips.

At least he cares for her.

Without saying anything else, she tagged along with him, smiling as she clamped his arm with hers, also realizing something: just his single touch made her so in love like this.

She loved him since they were just mere genins, she loved him pass the whole time he betrayed Konoha, he dumped her heart, and left her that cold night eight years ago. Her love never change, though she grew mature and hard through the whole time Naruto and she had been trying to get him back. Every moment of it was heartbreaking, and even if he didn't really physically hurt her many of that times, she was emotionally beaten up. Though she wondered as well, even after all that he had done, it was possible for her to still love him, when Ino gradually had given it up as he left Konoha.

Together, they walked through the streets of Konoha. It wasn't such a romantic scheme of a 'I'll-walk-you-home' kind of journey, it was more of a silent one, though the silence was comfortable rather than awkward.

Sakura clung to his arm as he let her along, both enjoying the moment but were either too afraid or too shy to start talking, not wanting to ruin the moment already. They walked pass some couples, some of them talking, some of them just enjoying the night air.

But of course, almost every good moment just have to be ruined. As if on cue, the snow started falling. Almost automatically, Sasuke started to walk faster, though with Sakura still in his hands. His steps were fast, Sakura could just barely run after him as she clung to his arm. They arrived at her house just not really long after that, and surprisingly, he didn't object when she asked (awkwardly) whether he wanted to stay until the snow stopped.

She had been living for her own for almost two years already, being that her parents wanted her to start learning of being independent and learning just how to take care of a house herself. At first, Sakura found it real hard to adapt, since she wasn't one to really help with the housework formerly in her parents' house, but she managed and survived during those harsh times.

"Your flat is nice." Sasuke told her, a little amusement playing in his eyes as she let him into her living room.

Smiling daintily, as if she had recited it for over than a thousand times, Sakura replied, "I've got help."

This was true. Almost once a week, Tenten, being the only one that had lived on her own for more than half of her life, would come and help her do the little things: tidying everything up, rearranging the bookshelves, cleaning the kitchen, making sure that everything is working smoothly and that nothing dangerous could happen when Sakura is away or anything like that. Almost once a week too Ino would come (sometimes on the same day with Tenten) and helped her re-decorate everything in her small apartment flat. Ino was good at designing, Sakura knew this, and she was better than the medic nin herself in this department. Sometimes, Hinata would tag along and help her with doing the usual gentle things: sewing up the ripped curtains, making new ninja clothing, and such. Her friends - her best girl companions - were such a big help to her, and nothing could change that.

"Really?" Sasuke didn't sound surprised at all. "From who?"

"The usual." She said softly, "Now let me make tea for us and you'll just turn on the TV (1) or take a book to read or something."

Smirking, the Uchiha retorted casually, "Then I'll follow you to the kitchen."

Sakura looked at him strangely and shrugged. Maybe he was trying to act like a normal boyfriend. She heard from Ino that Shikamaru really likes it when she made tea for him in front of him, so that he could always keep his eyes on her and make sure she didn't do anything stupid or what. Sakura, though she will never admit it, always admired the relationship between Shikamaru and Ino. Though they barely show affection towards each other (they did if a girl yelling at a boy and the boy calling the girl troublesome is all equal to 'affection' - which doesn't), most of the Konoha residents knew that they were officially going out. They didn't have to look twice to see that the shadow king and the most obnoxious, loud blonde of Konoha cared for each other deeply.

So, without arguing against his cool retort, the pink-haired medic skillfully made tea - just like how Hinata taught her. Mix just a block of sugar, if it's not enough add more, stir your spoon that way, put the cup down this way, and the whole thing about being a successful, dainty, beautiful, elegant tea-maker.

They sat in Sakura's living room, the TV turned off, but neither of them was paying attention. Instead of watching the countdown to Christmas (which was about oh, say, ten minutes from now?), they were looking at each other openly. This had never happened before, but neither of them cared, too. Sakura was simply drowning in his eyes - his beautiful, deep, dark-colored eyes, while Sasuke himself was just looking at her - like nothing in this world attracts him the most but her.

"I've got you a Christmas gift." The pink-haired kunoichi said shyly, smiling at him as she stood up. She went to the bookshelves in the room and quietly pulled out a wrapped gift, then gave it to her dearest boyfriend. Sasuke muttered a little thanks and weighted the present - it was light. "What is this?" He dared to ask, his eyes never leaving the present for a second.

"... Just open it." Sakura murmured as she looked at the time. Nine minutes more to Christmas. Nothing really special.

Sasuke, being offered that solution, wasted no time in unwrapping her gift. When he finally got all the wrapping paper away, he discovered that her gift was a hand-sewn scarf with the color of dark, deep blue. He stared at the scarf, speechless, before gazing back at her and smiled softly. "Thank you."

"You're welcomed..." She whispered softly, and then she pouted. "Now have you prepared me a good present too, Sasuke-kun? Because if you haven't-" She took a deep breath, and Sasuke could've sworn that she looked a little worried. Worried that he hadn't prepared anything, "-then I'll have to give you some sort of a punishment."

Forcing himself not to smile, the Uchiha prodigy asked, "Why?"

"Because," Sakura answered, almost sounding like a lecturer of some sort, "That's what boyfriends do to their girlfriends on Christmas day."

"I see." He replied smoothly to her statement, and then shrugged, "What if I really got you nothing, then?"

Sakura didn't know why, but suddenly images came tumbling into her mind, replaying themselves.

--

"_So, did you kiss?" _

"_You've been like, going out for six months and he hasn't kissed you YET? Gee, I've always thought that he was the kind that takes things fast."_

"_He'll give you a present, won't he? Sasuke-kun is not that unromantic, for heaven's sake."_

"_Maybe he's just shy..."_

"_You can wait, Sakura - he's yours anyway."_

**Yours anyway...**

--

"_So, Tenten, did you kiss?" Ino asked, grinning madly. _

_The weapon mistress' face went all red and the other girls broke out giggling. She glared at them unforgivingly. "It's none of your business." She said coldly, turning away as both of her hands flew up to cover her cheeks in embarrassment... _

_... Though that little satisfied smile on her face hid nothing at all._

--

"_Ino, I dare you to... kiss Shikamaru!" Sakura said, smiling maliciously as she shuffled the cards in her hand. Ino had just lost a poker game of them four - and because they didn't agree to strip, this was the change._

"_What?" The blonde practically shrieked, hearing the so-called dare. "Kiss that troublesome lazyass? No way in life would I do that!"_

_But she did anyway. _

--

"_Naruto! Why in the hell did you suddenly kiss Hinata like that!" Sakura yelled, holding an unconscius Hinata in her arms as she shook the poor girl, trying to wake her up out of the shock._

"_Eh?" The kyuubi container looked confused, "Isn't that what boyfriends do to their girlfriends?"_

_She can't argue with logic like that, she knew. "Yes." She replied at last, but it didn't stop there. "But not this suddenly, you dumbass! And especially not like this! You can't just appear out of nowhere and kiss her!"_

"_Ehhh?" Now he sounded disappointed, "But she's my girlfriend!"_

_Sakura simply sighed._

--

"Sasuke-kun." The pink haired kunoichi took a deep breath and looked at him straight in the eyes. The next two words came out almost too soft, that he wouldn't hear her if he was more than ten inches away. "Kiss me."

Sasuke stiffened just as he heard the first word. "Wh-what?" He managed uncharacteristically.

"**Kiss**." She put her both of her index fingers together to show some physical contact, and then pointed at herself, "**Me**."

His reaction was priceless, that if she was actually joking, she would really laugh, but that's not it. She wasn't joking, damn it! She was as serious as she could ever get.

However, Sasuke too was as serious as he could ever get when he said, "Sakura, I can't kiss you."

And there she went, so shattered that she could only gape for three seconds. "Wh-why?" She stuttered.

He sighed, and looked at her faultily. Of course he wouldn't tell her that he was afraid to do it wrong, afraid of hurting her in the process, afraid of going too far - if you know what he means. He was just afraid that if he did it wrong, or if he somehow hurt her just like that, she would leave him. He didn't want that, now did he?

But Sakura wasn't a kunoichi for nothing. She recovered from her shock and quietly observed his rueful expression. He said "I can't kiss you." - did he meant it literally, like her really _can't_ kiss her because he just _can't_?

"Sasuke-kun..." The pink-haired kunoichi started slowly, suddenly getting a clear image of what was happening, "You have never kissed before, have you? The one with Naruto excluded?"

He glared at her, and she could have swore that there was a shade of red on his cheeks. She grinned, right because she knew that he didn't kiss her because he didn't know how. That was almost funny - for a prodigy like him, it was pretty slow. Even Neji (or as far as Tenten told her anyways) didn't go through this kind of phase. Heh, he wasn't one to ever take things slow anyway.

Sasuke coughed, trying to ease down the uneasiness of the situation, and to do that, he pulled out a box. It was a small one, and as he gave it to her, she recognized that it was a jewelry box.

"Thank you." Sakura said elegantly, smiling, "What is this?"

"Open it." That was almost a grumble if Sakura didn't know any better.

She opened the box and was immediately rendered speechless. Inside the box was a silver necklace with a silver bear as a pendant as well. "Sasuke-kun..." She said, blushing sweetly. She never knew that he will buy a Christmas present for her. This situation itself was almost unbelievable. She brushed her hair from the back of her neck and tried to attach the necklace. "This is so sweet..."

"I'll help you." The Uchiha said, his hand approaching her fingers as he took the necklace from her and helped her to wear it on her neck, and then he examined the bear pendant slowly. To her surprise, he closed his eyes and kissed the pendant softly, surely, and opened his eyes again, smiling at her reaction. Without warning, he pressed the pendant to her lips - just for a second, and released it to fall to the crook of her neck.

Sakura blushed again and smiled, before letting her head fall to his chest, his arms circling around her shoulders in the most protective manner ever. She held up her head to meet his onyx eyes, and that was when Sasuke suddenly got the courage to really kiss her. He tilted his head down, met her lips with his, and quickly drew back before she could register what was happening.

The medic nin was struck dumb. It was fast, it was in haste, and it was shy, but it was a real kiss alright.

Sasuke-kun had just kissed me! She giggled at the realization, but soon stopped as she realized that her boyfriend was annoyed. Like a mother, she caressed his cheek gently, soothingly. "There, there." She whispered softly, kissing his chin as he shifted her to his lap. "It wasn't that bad, right?"

Sasuke didn't immediately reply. Instead, he smirked handsomely.

She smiled back and turned her voice into a cute, seductive tone. "So… wanna try again?"

Saying nothing in reply, he pulled her head down for another kiss.

--

**.end. **

--

**.notes.**

TV. Yes, TV. They do have TV there (check the chuunin exam arc where Anko-sensei watched a video of Gaara and his siblings in a TV) in the ninja world.

--

**.a/n.**

So yeah, how is it? It was a bit OOC, I think – I'm still not that used to writing SasuSaku, sorry, but I kind of like it. I guess 3.

So anyway, try to review and please tell me what you think – anything: comments, rants, _anything_ but flames. I don't like flames.

Until then, **Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Holidays! **(My, that's long!)


End file.
